What's In It For Me? Part 2
by seeyouontheice
Summary: so. another wedding and yet more challenges to over come.
1. Chapter 1

Typically she had nothing to wear. The last such occasion that had demanded her to dress as such had been the wedding of a certain bumbling professor and an American psychologist. Jac had been four and a half months pregnant at time, and besides it wouldn't do to wear the same dress among the same crowd of people. Adding to that was the time of year this wedding was taking place in – winter. The light summer dress Jonny had bought her simply wouldn't do.

However the process of going out to purchase a new frock for this wedding was made all the more difficult due to the fact that Jac Naylor now had a four day old infant to manage as well as having been discharged from the maternity ward only seventeen hours ago. Jac was pacing her tiny front room holding the infant in her arms whilst wondering if she could, a, get out of attending, or b, wear her pyjamas. Incidentally pyjamas were the only thing she found remotely comfortable wearing due to the fact that she had a rather fresh scar where Mr T had sliced her open to get the baby out into the world.

Sighing, the new mother glanced at the time; a mere ninety-two hours had passed since the beautiful little girl nestled contently in her arms had been dragged unceremoniously into life. Looking down Jac smiled as the baby stretched and wriggled into a more comfortable position in her mother's arms. In truth Jac had put her down only a handful of times since being handed her; it was almost as if she was afraid the child would disappear if she let go.

The buzzer rang, startling the infant into wakeful wails. Struggling to manage the button that opened the outside door and comfort her daughter, Jac put her front door on the latch so her visitor didn't have to wait. No more than five minutes later there came a call from the door asking for permission to enter; the call ignored or unheard over the little girl's wails. She was hungry.

"Jac – sorry, the door was open."

"That'll be because I left it open," she replied trying to boil the kettle and keep the child calm all at once. "I know I know – I'm doing it!" she told the crying child.

Wordlessly, Michael removed Jac of her daughter allowing the consultant to prepare the formula with ease. Because of her condition, and a load of other reasons Jac had refused to hear, she was unable to breast feed properly. Hence the formula milk substance that was in the process of being heated; mixing the powder and water in the bottle, Jac then placed the bottle in a bowl before filling the bowl with freshly boiled water from the kettle in order to heat the milk.

Michael watched her at work with a small smiled the entire time whilst doing his best to settle the little girl. "See, mummy is doing her best," he told the baby in one of her less hysterical 'Ima gonna die hungry!' moments. "She's not gonna let you starve!" Taking the bowl into the living room, Jac slumped onto the sofa setting the bowl on the coffee table so she could take her daughter off her friend.

They attempted to talk while waiting for the milk to heat, although it was made more difficult due to the crying and the wailing. Jac half wondered if the neighbours had complained yet. Well rehurst in the upbringing of children, Michael expertly tested the milk and deemed it ready. The sudden silence that filled the little flat was astounding – as if one had just switched the TV off. Chiding her child gently for being so silly and for working herself up over nothing, Jac lovingly wiped away the odd tear from her eyes and kissed her forehead as she fed the child. "So, now I can actually hear myself think – what did you want exactly?"

"This kid got a name yet?"

"Is that it?" Jac demanded, "Is that all you wanted to ask when you begged to be allowed to visit earlier?"

Michael chuckled, "Nah, I was just curious that's all – we've got a betting pool over whose surname she'll have; yours or Maconie's."

"That hasn't been decided yet."

"When's he getting back?"

"Tonight," came Jac's reply, "was the earliest flight he could find."

"Still think he shoulda been there with you!" Michael muttered; he'd been saying as much for the past four days.

"It's not his fault I tripped down the stairs. If things had gone accordingly he'd of been home in plenty of time. I wasn't due until two weeks' time."

"Well after the wedding."

Jac didn't respond, "what do you want Michael?" she asked finally, "if it's to put this absurbed idea that your and I work then the answer is – and always will be – no."

Michael held up his hands in mock surrender, "hey I've learnt my lesson – you still love Jonny. No I was gonna ask if you're coming out with us for drinks tomorrow."

"I gave birth ninety-two hours ago. You really think I'm up for a night out? Besides … I've got a baby to think about."

"Get Elliot to babysit. Or Mo … or Serena – never know you might even be able to twist Hanssen's arm and persuade him into it." Michael shrugged.

Jac closed her eyes, "tell the others I can't – they'll understand."

Michael knew when he was beaten, "I take it Jonny is coming straight here?" Jac nodded slowly, "want me to wait with you?"

Jac raised an eyebrow, "I'm a big girl; I can look after myself." She saw Michael to the door, her daughter protesting slightly as she was jostled when her mother stood up, and took it off the latch since Jonny had his own key. Settling back down on the sofa with her child Jac waited for the second visitor that evening, aware that she hadn't seen him in three weeks. He'd gone on holiday with his family for the Christmas and New Year period to Cyprus. The only reason he'd agreed to go with it being so close to Jac's due date was because Jac had asked Mo to tell him to go. He needed the break and a final chance to piss about and act a fool before he became a father.

But when she'd finished tumbling down the stairs after tripping over the out-stretched leg of a particularly drunk and rude patient on New Year's Eve, Jac had suddenly wished he hadn't gone. The thought that she'd have to endure the birth – witness the birth – without him hadn't even entered her mind. It had been Sacha who'd gone in with her and held her hand as Mr T administered the anaesthetic and whatever else before beginning the task of performing the C-section.

Her child had been born at three minutes past the stroke of midnight on January the first. Jac hadn't been able to name her because she knew Jonny would want to be a part of it too – that and they'd yet to decide on the surname. Part of her also wanted Jonny's input in the naming process, part of her wanted his reassurance and part of her felt that she owed him this because he'd missed the birth itself. It also seemed wrong to name her without Jonny, as if in the act of naming her she'd be eradicating Jonny's part in the child's life. Jac had grown up without a father; she was not going to let her daughter go through that as well.

Tugging the now empty bottle of milk away from her daughter, Jac winded the child – careful to make sure the scrap of cloth was covering both the sofa and her trousers in case of an episode of puke – and figured that she really ought to feed herself. Settling the infant down on the blanket on the floor, Jac smiled as she opened her eyes and looked round the room bathed in the unyielding yellow lights from the lamps. Hoping that the baby wouldn't start screaming the moment she realised Jac had left the room, Jac crept towards the kitchen in search of something quick and easy to make for her own dinner.

Unimpressed by the contents of her fridge and her freezer, Jac searched the cupboards and found nothing remotely appealing. Deciding that she wasn't really that hungry, Jac returned to the living room where the little girl was snoozing lightly, her little fists clenched tightly. Glancing at the clock once more Jac calculated that, providing there had been no delays, Jonny's flight would arrive in roughly ten minutes time meaning he'd get to hers in about two hours' time – less if the security and baggage areas weren't being difficult. Jac switched on the TV hoping to occupy her time while her child slept on the blanket on the floor and Jonny battled his way through the customs at Holby airport.


	2. Chapter 2

He checked his watch before remembering it was still set according to the local time in Cyprus; he had no clue what time it was back in England. Hailing a cab and reeling off the address Jonny hauled his luggage into the taxi before clambering in and shutting the door. Pulling out his phone, Jonny gazed at the photo Mo had sent him moments after ending the phone call to say that he was now, in fact, a father. The text attached to the picture told him that Mo had taken the picture on the sly because she wanted Jonny to, not only see the child, but the look upon the face of the woman who'd carried the child.

She was evidently exhausted, judging by the picture, but there was a smile – a proper genuine smile – on her lips as she gazed down at the scrunched up face of her daughter. Mo had managed to capture the moment Jac's heart had melted for the child and then sent it to Jonny almost at once. The photo was now the background on his phone and he'd wasted his battery that night just by staring at the picture. He had longed to slipped into the picture and join them.

The cab pulled up and it was a moment before Jonny realised that they'd arrived. Clambering out, Jonny handed over a twenty, pocketing his change as he pulled out his luggage Jonny thanked the driver before crossing the road. Keying in the code for the outside door, Jonny shouldered his way into the building and headed for the lift, not wanting to drag his suitcases up the stairs. In a matter of moments, he was searching his pockets for the key and trying his best to insert it into the lock without dropping his bags.

Catching the door before it banged against the wall, Jonny squeezed through the doorway and with difficulty shut the door behind him before abandoning his bags in the hall. Extracting a paper bag from his suitcase with difficulty and cursing as the contents spilled out on to the floor, Jonny looked up when a door opened down the hall. The condition of him coming straight here was that, if the lights were off, he was to be silent as death. Evidently he'd failed miserably.

"Sorry … I – did I wake you?"

"No … it's fine; the bulb's blown and I can't find a spare." Jonny scratched his head, unsure what to do now he was here. A small smile crept across Jac's face as she watched him glance round uncertainly, "do you want to see her?"

"I thought … she'd – erm – be asleep."

"I can wake her," Jac reassured him still smiling, "I'm sure she won't mind being woken to meet her daddy."

Jonny followed her into the bedroom; the only new addition to the room he knew so well was the white cot in the corner. Perching on the edge of the bed he watched as Jac bent over the cot to lift out the baby he only had a photo of and hand her over to him. Jonny put the paper bag on the bed beside him as he gingerly accepted the child off Jac. She stepped back, leaning against the wardrobe watching him with that same smile as he engaged with the baby in his arms.

At first she glanced over towards her mother, as if to give her a look saying 'who is this weirdo?' but before she decided to start crying for her mother, she seemed to figure out that actually he wasn't a stranger to her. Smiling gently at her, Jonny found that words weren't necessary to display how much this meant to him. He tore his eyes off his daughter long enough to look up at Jac, "I'm proud of you."

"What?"

"You heard me … I'm proud of ya – both of ya." And he meant it; he really was proud of her. "So, what's her name?"

"I haven't …"

"You aint named her?" he looked down at the baby, "have you not got a name yet? Well we have to put that right don't we?" he smiled and kissed the baby's nose. She reached out and touched his slightly stubbly cheek as if to agree with his statement. "It seems strange – seeing you all skinny again," Jonny remarked to Jac as she perched on the edge of the bed beside him.

She didn't respond her attention was fixed upon her daughter – _their daughter_ – "she's perfect," Jac murmured softly and Jonny found himself agreeing with her. "And now we need to find the perfect name for her."

"So we do indeed," Jonny smiled as the infant closed her eyes and then snuggled into his jacket, preparing to fall back to sleep. Evidently meeting her father had exhausted her, or he wasn't nearly as interesting enough to keep her awake. Jonny glanced at Jac noticing how quiet she seemed and gave her a reassuring smile before it dawned on him that he was starving. "Do you have anything to eat?"

She shook her head, "not really."

"Can I order a takeaway then? I'll pay for it."

"So long as you get me something too," she bargained. Jonny agreed, gently handing over his daughter to Jac before heading into her kitchen in search of the leaflets of the various takeaway services. Five minutes later he was placing his order and refusing to pay by card over the phone – he wasn't that trusting or that stupid.

Jac had relocated to the front room, the small baby nestled in her arms with her tiny fist curled round one of Jac's fingers as if to make sure that she wasn't about to leave her. Jonny resolved to whisper to his daughter how that was never going to happen when he next had the chance. Muttering that the food should be about half an hour, Jonny joined Jac on the sofa content to just sit and watch Jac and his baby.

He thought back to four and a half months ago, when he'd chosen the night-shift nurse from Keller over Jac. At the time he'd thought that things between them were too messy – too complicated – for anything to actually work and last. Now he wasn't too sure, now all he wanted was this; him Jac and the baby. Jonny could quite happily sit as he was evening after evening happy in the knowledge that Jac and their child were there with him. But part of him suspected that he'd left it too late – that she'd finally accepted that it wouldn't, couldn't, happen – and that she was at last returning her gaze to the vast array of men in this world.

The buzzer rang, disturbing their child and sending her off into wails and howls. Jonny went to see to the door leaving Jac to attempt to settle the baby and send her off to sleep once again. A task proving all the more difficult Jonny discovered while he waited for the delivery guy to climb the stairs to the correct floor. Passing Jac the items she demanded off him, he watched as she laid the wriggling child down on a blanket before proceeding to tackle the task of changing the nappy, thankful she wasn't making him do it.

There came a knock at the door announcing the arrival of the food which Jonny took as his cue to exit the front room for a moment or two. Passing over the correct amount, he took the small box off the pimply youth and shut the door with his foot. Detouring into Jac's bedroom to grab the paper bag, the Scottish nurse grabbed a couple of plates and a handful of cutlery – which he balanced on top of the box – before heading back into the tiny living space of Jac Naylor's flat.

"What's in the bag?"

Placing the food, plates and cutlery on the coffee table Jonny reached into the brown paper bag and pulled out a rather floppy looking soft toy rabbit with long ears and a button nose. "I saw it in the airport and …" he trailed off uncomfortably.

Jac bit her lip, but he suspected it was to hide her smile at his rare thoughtfulness and made no move to stop him as he ripped off the labels and then attempted to give it to the infant crying on the blanket. After a few moments she took hold of one of the long ears in her tiny fist before she started crying again. She didn't let the rabbit go.

"It's called Buster." Jonny stated firmly, "the rabbit." Jac shook her head in amusement but didn't otherwise comment. "And I'll see to her tonight – if that's okay with you. You could do with a good night's sleep and I'm nowhere near tired." Jonny handed her a plate and sighed, "You don't have to do all this on your own Jac. I wanna help."

"Okay … but wake me if you get stuck."

Jonny had no intentions on waking Jac, but he nodded in agreement as their daughter finally stopped crying and Jac asked him what he'd ordered for them to eat.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey … its quarter to seven in the morning – I suggest you keep it down a wee bit or mummy will wake up, and the whole point was letting her rest." However the new-born baby continued to cry. "I don't see what the problem is; your nappy was changed about half an hour ago and you've got Buster in there with ya …" then Jonny cottoned on. "Ah. You're a wee bit hungry aren't ya?"

Glancing at the closed door of Jac's bedroom, Jonny lifted the baby out of the day cot thing (some kind of attachment of the pushchair or something) and headed to the kitchen. Before going to bed, Jac had given Jonny some very precise instructions and had also written out step-by-step directions on how to mix the formula for the infant's milk. Jonny would never admit how useful he had found the instructions.

After accidently spilling some water on the counter, Jonny managed to successfully mix the formula ready for the baby to drink. Settling down on the settee he switched on the TV and watched the morning news while the baby in his arms – they really had to think of a name, and soon, for her – drank her milk. Apparently there was some kind of uproar in the Middle East … still … and some film star from the nineties tried to make a comeback in a film that flopped. All in all, nothing of interest happening in or around Holby so he switched the TV off and fell to gazing at his child.

She was perfect like Jac had said, fair skin and what little hair she had was a red as her mother's … Jonny realised how blessed he was that he had her, although he'd never been particularly religious. He'd always put up a fight on the way to Sunday school and sneaked out as often as he could. His entire family would fall in love with her from the off, although he could see them not understanding Jac and thinking her rude. But he didn't care what they thought of Jac, if they didn't like her then all they had to do was be civil to her otherwise they wouldn't be seeing the infant.

A gurgling sound told him that the baby was finished her milk. After winding her and changing her nappy, Jonny discovered that it was a quarter to eight and that Jac would probably wake up soon, despite not needing to. Unfortunately, he had to enter her bedroom to fetch a fresh vest and babygrow for his daughter since she had somehow managed to leak out of her nappy. Holding the child securely in one arm, he gently twisted the handle and opened the door. They'd made it half way across the room before his daughter betrayed him by gurgling loudly.

Jac stirred and blinked as she rolled onto her back and opened her eyes, surveying her room for the source of the noise. "Sorry – I needed fresh clothes for her." Jonny muttered.

The consultant glanced at her clock and then sat up, "it's fine … here," she held out her arms for the baby. "They're in the second draw." She added when he glanced round unsure where Jac stored all the baby clothing. Opening the correct draw, Jonny pulled out a vest and a fresh babygrow before shutting the draw with his elbow and turning back to Jac handed them to her. "You can sit down on the bed you know."

Jonny smiled as he perched on the empty space beside Jac and watched her dress the baby. "We need a name for her."

"Got any bright ideas?"

"Erm …"

"Didn't think so, I know we need to name her – I just … can't think of a suitable name."

Jonny leant back against the headboard, his hands resting behind his head and thought about what kind of name would be right for their precious daughter. He started reeling off names, not really expecting Jac to dignify his attempts with a response. It was more an attempt to begin the process rather than to find a name there and then. After a good ten, or fifteen minutes or so he trailed off and they sat in silence watching their daughter wriggle and fidget on the bed between them.

If she tried hard enough, Jac could almost convince herself that they were a family.

After a few more moments, Jonny muttered something about breakfast and Jac watched as he left the room to raid her kitchen once again. Her phone vibrated on the bedside table telling her she had a text message that needed reading and answering that very moment. Picking up the device, Jac surveyed the message and sighed when it reminded her of the oncoming event that would require her to dress up and act as if she wasn't dead on her feet and recovering from a C-Section. Something told her that the wedding had completely slipped Jonny's mind.

Gathering her daughter into her arms, Jac slipped out of bed and joined Jonny in her kitchen where he was busy helping himself to coffee and toast. "You haven't forgotten about the wedding next week have you?" Jonny choked on his coffee and Jac took that to mean that he _had_ forgotten. She smirked, "you idiot."

"I got a phone call telling me I was a father and I haven't really thought about anything else since then!" he defended before his mobile rang. Hurrying into the front room, Jac heard him answer it as she looked down at her daughter staring up at her. Managing to put the toaster back on with only a single hand free, Jac made herself breakfast while Jonny spoke to whoever it was on his phone. Muttering to himself, he returned to the kitchen to announce that although technically he was still on holiday, he was needed at work.

Before he reached the front door Jac called out to him, "can't we at least agree on a name before you go?"

Jonny turned, "But that could take all day!" he protested. At her look he sighed and agreed, "fine … erm well I doubt you're gonna say yes to any particularly Scottish names so I'll rule them out." he scratched his head as he joined her on the settee. Neither of them could remember how long it took, but eventually they agreed on the name 'Charlotte' with the view of shortening it to 'Lottie' for convenience. "I really ought to go – we can argue over the surname later yeah?"

Jac smiled. "Go … before Hanssen decides he wants your head hand delivered to his office on a golden platter."

"I'm going!" he kissed Lottie on her small button nose smiled at Jac before getting to his feet. A second later she heard the door shut and knew he'd gone. Sighing, she leant back against the sofa with Lottie snuggling up against her. Well, at least she had a name now Jac mused absently while watching the infant drop off into a doze.

It wasn't until she received what sounded like several hundred text messages at once that Jac realised she'd dozed off too. Pulling her mobile out of her pocket she discovered from the snatches of messages displayed on her lock-screen that Jonny had told their colleagues that they'd picked a name. Typically Michael's demanded to know which surname they'd chosen. Ignoring all but the message from Mo, Jac dismissed them. Apparently Jonny's friend had been talking to Serena and the two women had decided not to give Jac an excuse to miss the wedding next week. So they were taking her out shopping – tonight – so that she had something to wear.

Jac's excuse of it being too late for Lottie to be out was shattered when Mo responded by announcing she'd already arranged with Jonny to babysit for the evening. Knowing that there was now no way to get out of it, Jac sighed and agreed. At least she had a perfectly valid reason to turn down Michael's second text asking her out for drinks with him and a few of the others. Shopping appealed only marginally more to Jac right then than going out and getting drunk did.

The only thing that could possibly make Jac feel even better about herself was if a miracle happened meaning that to Jonny she was still everything he'd ever wanted. She wasn't fooling herself anymore, not really. He'd made it very clear after Elliot's wedding that things were too messy and complicated for them to be anything other than friends. Jac just wished he was wrong – that he hadn't been speaking the truth. She wanted things to work out between them because now she had his child … his perfect child … how the hell did he expect her to move on? Jac loved her daughter more than she ever thought it were possible too, and it also made what her mother had done to her all the more painful and humiliating. No, all Jac wanted was Jonny to tell her that he loved her and that he was never, ever, going to let her go.


	4. Chapter 4

"Will you put that blasted thing down?"

Jac jumped and looked up from her phone to see Mo sniggering into her drink while Serena glared at her. "I was just checking –"

"You've checked that thing seven times in the past five minutes!"

"But what if …"

"Then he'll ring. _Put it down!_" not wanting Serena Campbell to lose her temper in the middle of the shopping centre, and guessing that she'd not had a very productive day hence her 'attack' on Jac, the redhead wisely put her phone into her bag after sharing a glance with Mo.

"Happy?"

"Ecstatically, now what are you ordering?"

Jac had completely forgotten that she was supposed to be looking at the menu, deciding what she wanted to eat. "Erm …" luckily for Jac, Serena's phone rang and she excused herself to answer it leaving Jac and Mo at the table, "Why did you bring her along?" she hissed.

Mo held up her hands in mock surrender, "you think I had a choice in the matter? She'd been like this ever since she learnt you might not come."

Jac rolled her eyes … Mo and Serena had arrived at her flat along with Jonny after their shift to drag her out shopping before she could make up an excuse to say no. Serena had started getting annoyed the moment she realised Jac had no intention of leaving that very instant. Apparently settling Lottie and Jonny hadn't occurred to her, or that Jonny might need telling what to do and when to do it. Mo had seemed happy enough to wait, and it wasn't as if the shops were shutting anytime soon; everywhere was open until nine at least.

After checking with Jonny for the third time if he was going to be okay, they had finally left the building. Of course Mo had then had to endure grumblings of both consultants during their drive to the shopping centre – one complaining about how long it took to leave a house and the other complaining that the trip wasn't even necessary. Serena's mood had not picked up when she learnt how picky Jac was when it came to clothes shopping. After yelling at her to at least try something on, she'd marched off leaving Jac and Mo in peace for a good hour or so. Incidentally they actually managed to find Jac a dress she liked and buy it in that time, before Serena had found them and dragged them off for dinner.

Which was where they were now, "yeah well if she keeps on I still might not! Jeeze anyone would think it was _her_ wedding!"

"I'll say," Mo agreed. "Oh quick – she's coming back … choose something!" Jac scanned the menu, finding little to her liking – judging by the look on Mo's face the registrar also had a problem with the restaurant picked – but knowing that Serena's mood probably wouldn't take to Jac launching a complaint about it she kept silent. She chose the safest option she could and hoped that it would at least be edible. "Y'know if you were pregnant right now all you'd have to do was complain at the smell and we could leave!" Mo pointed out when Serena detoured towards the bathrooms.

"Could say Jonny needs help with Lottie?"

"How will you manage that without him ringing you? Unless …"

"What?"

"We could just run for it? While she's not here …"

"And go into work tomorrow to find she's sacked us both? I don't think so somehow."

"I'd like to see you come up with a plan!" but they didn't need to. Serena arrived back on the phone to her daughter and from what they could gather; the GS consultant was needed urgently at home. Both the CT surgeons fought to keep their faces straight as they pleaded with Serena to stay for dinner, not wanting to sound too relieved.

"I'm sorry but apparently the boiler is leaking – or something along those lines … I'll see you at work. Well, I'll see Mo at work; see you next week Jac," and with a cheery wave acting as if she hadn't spent the past four hours yelling at the pair of them, Serena left.

"Yeah … bye," Jac replied. "Right … let's get out of here before they start bringing the stuff they think is food over."

"Gotcha," Mo winked as she grabbed her bag while Jac checked her phone and located the bag with her dress in. The two women escaped the restaurant unseen just as the waiter bustled over with three plates of what looked to Jac like piles of dog shit. Mo too seemed unimpressed with what they had escaped being served. "Well that was close … how are we getting home – I've left my car at your flat see …"

In the end they resorted to calling up Sacha for a lift since Jac had no clue off hand where Lottie's car seat was … and she did not want Jonny tearing her flat apart looking for it. It occurred to Jac while she and Mo waited for Sacha to arrive that they could've just called a cab instead. Clambering into the front passenger seat before Mo reached it, Jac let her friend hug her in greeting seeing as the last time he'd seen her was literally moments after they'd wheeled her out of theatre after giving birth to Lottie. She was content on letting Mo explain why they'd called him – now that his divorce with Chrissie had at last been finalized Jac saw no reason to … hinder the developing relationship between Mo and Sacha. Not that she had hindered it exactly, more done her best to keep Mo out of the picture until the divorce was through otherwise Chrissie would find a way to drag her into it all too.

Eventually they pulled up outside the block of flats Jac lived in and all piled out of the car. Both Mo and Sacha wanted to come up to see how Jonny had coped alone with his daughter for the past four hours or so and Jac didn't feel like denying them that opportunity. Chances were she'd get to laugh fondly at his attempts or she would be able to smile proudly at his work … either way, Jac wanted to prove to Mo and Sacha that Jonny was a capable dad. Not that they doubted him or anything, but it was more if he passed this 'test' then it would somehow mean that Jac had done the right thing by falling in love with him as she had.

But then again, she hadn't really been able to help it – the whole falling for Jonny thing. Despite her best efforts _not_ to, Jac had quickly discovered that there was no escaping her ever growing feelings for him. Now … now she didn't know what to do or what to say because she had no idea where she stood or how he felt. Jac wasn't about to strain the relationship between herself and the father of her child by declaring her love for him without being sure he'd do so in return. For now, she had to remain silent and wait and … and hope.

Unlocking her front door, Jac almost tripped over Jonny's abandoned luggage littering the cramp hall way. Surprisingly she hadn't been greeted by the howls of her infant daughter and the frantic panic of Jonny as he struggled to work out how to make her stop. It all seemed … calm and … ordered. "Jonny?" she called out slightly alarmed, "you haven't run off with Lottie have you?"

Behind her Sacha chuckled while Mo struggled to close the front door. "Nah …" he called from somewhere in her flat, "I thought about it, but figured you'd miss us too much."

"Where are you?"

"Kitchen," he called back, "she … erm – we got into a wee mess, didn't we Lottie?"

"What sort of mess?" Jac asked with a degree of foreboding as she headed into the kitchen where Jonny was busy using the sink as a bath for their five-day-old child.

"The kind that involves a … erm _leakage_ of sorts – and a spillage too," it wasn't until she was standing shoulder to shoulder with him that she realised he was shirtless. Focusing her attention upon her daughter Jac listened as Jonny answered Mo's demand for an explanation to his lack of a top. Apparently Lottie's …sudden _leakage_ had caused him to spill coffee down his pale blue shirt and he'd wanted to get the stain out quickly. "Hope you don't mind – I used your washing machine … hey I made sure it was a full load!" he added quickly.

Taking over the bathing of Lottie, Jac heard Jonny announcing he was going to order a takeaway and guessed that Mo immediately demanded something for herself too. In next to no time at all, the four – five – of them were sitting in Jac's front room eating the less than healthy delights of the local curry house. How normal and … right, it felt … all of them together like they were as if it was something they did on a regular basis.


	5. Chapter 5

The day had finally arrived – the wedding between another pair of colleagues. Jac was only going because she'd gotten bored of her flat after sitting in it for a week and a half with very few visitors other than Jonny, who seemed to have taken up residence on her sofa. Not that Jac minded that much because it was nice to have him around and watch him interact with Lottie. Of course Jac couldn't know that one of the reasons Jonny was sticking around was because he enjoyed watching Jac with Lottie.

Since Jonny had been given the task of being one of the 'ushers' he had already left the flat to join the groom and help the poor bastard prepare for what was coming. Supposedly Elliot was going to pick Jac and Lottie up on his way to the church but he was already late. Which suited Jac because Lottie had thrown up over the pretty little dress purchased for the occasion and had needed to be changed into a fresh outfit. Just as she was shoving _another_ fresh outfit into the bag of essentials that had to be lugged round until Lottie was old enough to not wet herself her mobile started ringing.

Grabbing the device and pressing it to her ear, the consultant was somewhat grateful to hear the American tones of Sharon saying she and Elliot were waiting in the car outside. Tucking her purse into the bag and locating Buster the Bunny, Jac grabbed the car seat where Lottie had sat watching her mother with wide eyes and left the flat cursing bulkiness of the bag and the seat. Thankfully Elliot had enough sense to get out the car and relieve her of the bag when she appeared outside the building, shivering at the cold. Once they were safely strapped into the car, the bumbling professor set of causing Jac to wonder why she'd trusted him enough to give her a lift.

In the back seat beside her, Lottie gurgled and blew bubbles as she stared out of the window at the landscape speeding past them. Her hands reached up every now and then, as if she was trying to reach something or trying to wave to attract Jac's attention … not that her attention was ever that far away from her daughter. As Elliot turned down the side road leading to the church, Lottie started crying. Checking the time Jac groaned; she was hungry and judging by her wails, not willing to wait while Elliot found a parking spot and they were shown their seats.

Digging one of the pre prepared bottles of milk out of the bag Jac pulled Lottie out of her seat, careful not to forget Buster otherwise Jonny would moan, and followed Elliot into the old building trying to ignore the crying of her child and seeing no sign of Jonny. A hand at the small of her back made her jump, but it was only Michael come to see if she was in need of his 'help'. Shoving him off and ignoring his complement on her appearance, Jac found a seat in an out-of-the-way spot where she promptly silenced her child by feeding her.

Jac was in the process of burping the baby when she finally saw Jonny. He joined her on the seat seemingly grateful for the chance to sit – apparently guiding people to their seats was a rather exhausting and tiring process. "Everything okay?" he asked, kissing the top of Lottie's head as she burped and brought up a little sick. Luckily Jac had a cloth to mop the puke up before it ruined both her dress and the outfit the infant was wearing.

"Yeah … didn't fancy feeding her where everybody would be watching me and judging me."

"Hey," Jonny chided, "we've been through this: who cares what they think? I wouldn't have anyone else as the mother of my child."

Jac smiled, grateful of his support and they watched their child as she seized Buster by his long ear and proceeded to suckle on it whilst looking at the ornate décor around them. "Well we'd best be getting to our seats – we'll be dead meat if we miss it considering its Mo and Sacha's wedding."

"Aren't we on Daniel watching duty too?" Jac remembered.

Jonny spread his hands as he got to his feet; he attempted to take Lottie off Jac so she could stand with more ease, but she shooed him away saying she can manage. He clamped his arms behind his back and bit his lip to hide his smirk as Jac glared good naturedly at him. Guiding her into the main churchy bit where the actual wedding was to take place with a hand on the small of her back, Jonny and Jac, carrying their baby girl, walked down the aisle both totally oblivious to how the other felt about them.

This was the first time many of their colleagues had seen the three of them together, and the first time Mo's family had seen Jac, although they'd heard all about the object of Jonny's affections from Sacha, Mo and Jonny himself. Doing her best to ignore the fact that many people were craning their necks to get a better look before turning to their neighbour and whispering no doubt about something along the lines of 'how long before she fucks it up?' Jac sat down on the pew at the front of the church next to her bestfriend and his three children. Jonny squeezed in beside her and started jiggling his foot on the ground.

Jac raised her eye brow at him, "anyone would think you were the one about to get married," she informed him. "How you doing then?" she asked ignoring Jonny and turning to Sacha, "hoping for third time lucky?"

Rachel sniggered along the pew at Jac's comment. "I thought you like Mo?" Sacha asked his daughter slightly hurt.

"I do … but Jac's right dad; it _is_ third time lucky … can I hold her? The baby; can I hold her Jac?" the girl asked however at that moment music started playing. The priest or vicar person stood waiting at the front of the row of pews and beckoned Sacha forwards.

"Have you not got a best man?"

"Erm … oh crikey … I forgot!" he glanced round desperately; his hand in his jacket pocket pulling out a box with what Jac presumes was for the rings. Sighing Jac figured she'd go to his rescue. Turing to hand Lottie to Jonny she found his lap was already taken by a rather fidgety Daniel.

"You owe me Levy," Jac told him as she got to her feet with Lottie and took the box.

"Jac … you're my saviour!"

"Like I said; you owe me."

"She's my bestfriend," Sacha quickly explained to the priest, "and Jonny over there is Mo's … is that – um … okay?"

He nodded and signalled for everyone else to rise as the doors at the far end of the room opened to reveal a gaggle of women waiting to escort Mo down the aisle. Jac resisted the urge to comment on the soppiness and the cheesy mush and how she had the urge to puke. "Sacha … smile," she reminded him.

In Jac's mind one wedding was rather like the next … she didn't care too much about the in's and the outs of what was said it the actual getting married part. So long as both parties said 'I do' or whatever it was nowadays, Jac couldn't care less about what was said and what was promised and all that other soppy crap. In fact the only part Jac paid attention to was the 'I do' part of the service … and today the part when she had to hand over the rings.

Miraculously Lottie didn't play up and decide she wanted feeding or changing or attention which actually gave Jac and Jonny no small amount of satisfaction. There were more than a few who'd love nothing more than the child of Jac Naylor to play up and ruin the occasion by forcing Jac – or Jonny – to leave the church in the middle of the service. Sacha was swamped by his children once the cheers of the crowd had abated after the 'you may now kiss the bride' bit. Daniel had pulled a rather comical face of disgust when his father had actually _kissed_ Mo.

Handing Lottie over to Jonny because her arms felt as if they were about to drop off, Jac walked along beside him as they followed the newlyweds and his children down out of the church and into the bright cold January sun. "So um … how we getting to the hotel then?" Mo asked brightly turning to her new husband. Surprisingly the man who was part cuddly bear and part doctor had actually arranged for cars to take them to the hotel where the reception was being held. Grabbing Lottie's car seat and the changing bag out of Elliot's with the excuse that Sacha wanted her to travel with him and his lot Jac hurried back to Jonny and her daughter. In actually she just didn't trust his driving all that much.


	6. Chapter 6

Mo and Sacha insisted that Jac and Jonny join them at their table along with his mother, her parents and his kids. The one small consolation to Jac was she had Lottie to occupy her when the awkward and frankly, embarrassing questions came her way. Whereas Elliot and Sharon had gone for a more buffet approach, Sacha and Mo and opted for an actual meal – the guests having already chosen what they wanted when they'd sent back the invites saying if they were or weren't coming to the wedding.

Pulling up a spare chair, Jonny deposited the car seat, complete with Lottie, onto it and sat down beside it as Jac slipped her own seat. Sacha's three kids all clambered and tried to seize their father's attention – which was fixed firmly upon the empty plate in front of him. Mo was looking increasingly embarrassed as both her mother and Sacha's mum fussed over how 'lovely' she looked and Jonny was chatting animatedly to Mr Effanga. Jac smirked at Mo before turning to her daughter and lifting her out of the seat and onto her lap.

Immediately Daniel and Becca turned their focus upon the infant and tried to engage her in play – not realising that Lottie was far too young for that sort of thing. Thankfully Mo had convinced Sacha that there was no need for the embarrassing speeches and so the staff set about dishing out the meals. Each table had a bottle or three of champagne in ice buckets; all around the room the sound of popping corks rang forwards accompanied with the cheers of the occupants of the table. Jac caught Serena's eye and detected a wicked gleam as the GS surgeon poured Hanssen a rather large glass of the drink despite his protests.

Jonny reached for a bottle and Jac turned her attention to him wondering if he was going to mess it up or not. "Now then; Daniel, Becca, and Lottie – you are all a wee bit on the young side so no booze for ya."

"Get on with it," Jac told him, picking up Buster the Bunny off the floor.

A few moments later the cork went soaring up above the table and landed in Mary-Claire's soup. Walking round the table, Jonny then poured out the bubbly drink with a straight face – apparently he found the landing site of the cork the height of hilarity. Sitting down and pulling a face at Lottie, the Scottish nurse initiated conversation with the adults of the table while Daniel and Becca chatted about totally irrelevant things. Typically Rachel switched between civilized adult conversation and childish chatter.

Sometime later – after they'd finished their meals and the 'dance floor' had been established – Jac found that it was just her and Sacha at the table; Jonny was proudly showing Lottie off to the room … and probably using her to pick up women while he was at it. "I think it will work this time," Sacha was saying, sipping yet another glass of the bubbly champagne.

"Could've sworn you said that last time … and probably the time before that too." Jac smiled.

"Yeah well … this is Mo; I don't have to try when I'm with her – it … it just works." He sighed and then impulsively hugged her tightly. "Ah you'll always be my bestfriend Jac!"

"Not cheating on me already are you?" Sacha instantly let Jac go only to find his new bride grinning at him while Jac searched the crowd for a glimpse of Jonny and her baby. "I'll let you off – it's Jac."

Mo sat down beside Sacha just as Jac spotted Jonny – without Lottie. "Stop panicking; I have her here!" Michael announced, handing over the now crying baby to Jac. "Yeah he was needed to help break up a fight so I said I'd hold her … and she won't stop crying."

Jac took Lottie off Michael wordlessly before handing her straight to Sacha. "She's hungry; now if you want to help why don't you find a bowl and some hot water so I can heat her milk?" knowing that he was going straight back to the dance floor and 'forgetting' what Jac had asked the consultant tasked Gemma – who happened to be walking past – with getting the bowl and the hot water. Pulling out a pre-prepared bottle of milk, Jac accepted the child off Sacha and attempted to calm her while she waited for the means to heat the milk.

"Why not just give it to her cold?" Mo suggested.

"Because she won't take it," Jonny had obviously heard the wails of his child and come to see what he could do. "Stubborn as hell – like her mother … cheers," taking the bowl of hot water off Gemma, the nurse placed the milk into it before attempting to distract the baby with Buster.

"Daddy … I'm tired." Daniel tugged at his father's sleeve until he was lifted onto his lap. Evidently getting what he wanted, the little boy snuggled up against his dad and promptly closed his eyes, despite the crying of the baby in Jac's arms.

"Here, this'll do," Jac took the bottle from Jonny and then rolled her eyes as she had to fight to actually get the baby to start drinking it. Chuckling, Jonny kissed Lottie's head as she fell silent and drank her milk, "You wee idiot."

It wasn't until the baby had been winded and was snuggling up against her mother that anyone spoke – or rather Mo and Sacha spoke while Jac and Jonny watched their daughter with identical looks of wonder on their faces. "I'll find my mother – and the girls – and she can put Daniel to bed … then we can – um …"

Jac raised an eyebrow smirking at Sacha as he trailed off suddenly aware he and Mo weren't alone and that their bestfriends were hearing their every word.

"Oh shut up Jac; you fell into bed with Jonny here moments after meeting him … yet you waited at least a month before telling me."

"How could I tell you that while you were lying on the ground bleeding half to death I was … um … otherwise occupied?" she ignored the smirk from Jonny, "look – it's late … go and have fun – but spare me the gory details when you get back."

Sacha chuckled. "You going back home or getting a room here?"

"Be easier just to go home," Jac explained.

"What about you Jonny Mac?" Mo asked.

"Why do you think I haven't been drinking – I'm driving," he smiled with a wink. "When do you wanna make a move?" he asked Jac.

"Soon – or I'll fall asleep too."

"When the hell are you two gonna see sense?" Mo exclaimed making even Sacha jump.

"Huh?"

"You love him, he loves you; you have a kid … hurry up and get married!"

"I er … think you've had one too many Mo …" Sacha half laughed despite agreeing with her, "c'mon let's make our exit while we can still walk and know what we're doing …" he pulled Mo to her feet, guided a sleepy Daniel into Rachel's arms and then left the room amidst wolf whistles and cheers. Jac and Jonny remained at the table unable to work out what had just been said to them.

"Well … um … should we – er – get going?"

Jac nodded allowing him to shove everything back into the changing bag while she placed Lottie into the car seat. Within five minutes they were ready to leave, however there were far too many people lingering by the main doors into the room for their liking – they much preferred to leave without having to say goodnight to their colleagues. Thankfully there was a door leading directly to the gardens outside – shut in this weather. Opening the heavy door, Jonny led the way out of the building and the stuffy room.

It was bitingly cold outside yet the frost settling on the grass and the trees was shining in the moonlight and transforming the garden into another world almost. With the changing bag over his shoulder, Jonny offered Jac his arm before taking the meandering path to the car park. "What do you think she meant?" Jac asked softly as they passed a frozen fountain.

"Aw c'mon – Mo was drunk …"

"No she wasn't." Jac pointed out and the nurse sighed as he came to a stop.

"What do you want?" she frowned at his question, uncertain what he meant. "Jac … what do you want?"

She wanted to ask what he meant – ask his meaning – but the meaning was clear enough in his eyes and the consultant closed her own. "I want you … and Lottie – I want _us._ Properly and … and – but … I don't want to mess it up like I always do."

Without warning his cold fingers stroked her cheek, "you won't … okay? We're not gonna screw this up … I think we need each other too much." Their kiss was interrupted but a hiccupping cry from the car seat on the floor by Jac's feet. "She'd better not make a habit of that," Jonny threatened jokingly.

"She will," Jac promised, taking his hand in hers. "But we'll manage."


End file.
